Paths and Roads of a Single Parent
by Scrotie McBoogerBalls
Summary: Celine is a hard working young woman, trying her best to raise her only son, Jace. She bears the best relationship with him. Like two best friends. They even call themselves Bonnie and Clyde. But as they both struggle both financially and emotionally, Celine must make a decision. Is she her son's friend? Or is she his mother? AU/AH/OOC
1. Prologue

**Paths and Roads of a Single Parent  
>Rating T for language, violence, drug and alcohol use, and sexual content<br>FFNET: A little OOC. AH. AU  
>Work In Progress<br>Beta'd: No**

**Summary: Celine is a hard working single parent. She is raising her only son Jace alone. Celine goes through many low paying jobs, and hard working times to support her son. It soon becomes saddening and frustrating to work so hard for so little money. So Celine turns over to a life of Crime, all to give her son the things he needs and deserves. Jace and Celine travel the country running from the Law hot on their tales. Soon the finally come to a stop in Santa Barbara, California. Celine plans to keep steady once they arrive here, for Jace's sake. But soon the law catches up with her, and she must make the hardest decision of her life. Whether Jace will be better off without her or not...**

**_*~Prologue_~***

You are my sunshine.  
>My Golden gift from God…<br>You make me happy…  
>Oh so happy… That you are my strength,<br>When I am weak.  
>And my voice, when I cannot speak.<br>My eyes when I am too blind to see.

You never judge me.  
>You always see the best in me.<br>And although you always thought it was I,  
>Who held you high.<p>

Even though…

You think that I make you feel like  
>You could touch the sky.<p>

I am everything that I am, because you are my baby…

Remember when you were two?  
>I lifted you up in the room.<br>High above my head…  
>Like you were soaring above the world?<br>But it was really you who made _me_ fly.

You made me feel like I could touch the sky.  
>When I lost my faith<p>

You gave it back to me.

I always told you…  
>That no star was out of reach.<br>But it was you who made me like that.  
>You were always smaller than me.<br>When I stood by you,  
>You stood up tall!<p>

When I have you  
>I have it all.<br>I am so thankful to God  
>Because I am blessed to have you<br>As my little boy of two…

Now time has passed.  
>You have become so tall.<br>So handsome…

You look so much like your Daddy  
>It makes me cry.<p>

I may be your mother  
>But you were my savior…<p>

Now I am not sure if I am yours.  
>I look at all the things you could have<br>The things you deserve to have.

And I am not sure I can give them to you.

And though I carried you  
>Gave birth to you.<br>And raised you.

You were always there for _me_.  
>The light in the dark.<br>Your love being my flashlight.  
>You've been my inspiration.<br>And my world is a better place  
>Because of you…<p>

So now the time has come.  
>To repay you<br>For being my gift…

To be _your_ savior…

And if it means to let you go….

Then I will…

A mother leaving her baby…  
>Is the hardest things to do.<br>But please realize it's what's best for you!

But also please remember…

That I love you…

And I am everything I am  
>Because you loved me too. . . .<p>

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><p><strong>Okay! I cried while writing this.<br>**

**I have another sad story in the making =( so my next group of Stories will be quite sad. Sorry guys**

**So Clary will be in this story as Jace's love interest, yes! I am asking you guys to please be patient with this one. **

**Clary doesn't arrive for quite a few chapters in. **

**I want to explore Jace and his mother's relationship first.**

**And what they go through.**

**Please tell me what you guys think...**

**Like the idea? **

**Don't like it?**

**Love it?**

**Hate it with a passion? lol**

**Review so I can know. =)**


	2. 7 Years Old

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JACE'S HEART.. WHO IS NOW MELLAR'S HEART! hahaha. You confused me with your name change. lol. ANyways, I decided to post about an hour before the midnight struck... at least my time. hahaha. All just for you. I updated Paths and Roads of a Single Parent, BeneVolence, and Slut Year on this day for you! =D**

**Also, for the record I thought I'd tell you that my birthday was actually the 22. So I am now 23. Yep, I am old. haha. So our birthdays aren't too far from each other =) **

**Please enjoy the new chapters guys. =)**

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><p>Chapter 1: Seven Years Old<p>

She remembered when her little sunshine was born. After he was all cleaned up, they brought him to her, skin soft as silk, and hair the color of honey. Even at birth her beautiful baby boy had so much hair, now she has to trim it quite frequently, because it is so thick. If she decided to neglect his hair, it would become so thick that a rat's nest would be forming in his tight curls.

As he grew, he was always a good boy. Always did what he told her, brushing his teeth, getting ready for bed. She always promised herself that she would be the best mother she could be. She would not only discipline him, but she would have fun with him as well. Play with him through all hours of the day if she must, but just because she _has_ to, but because she _wants_ to.

He was born with her eyes, her golden colored irises. As he grew, she saw more and more of his father in him. Although, he wasn't with them anymore, she couldn't help but find it endearing. She loved Stephen so much, probably more than someone should love a person. She would be possessed with deep sadness if Jace didn't turn out to be like his father, but she would still teach him to act like a man.

She would date, every so often. But the only man in her life was Jace. And she could never love someone as much as she loved Stephen. Jace didn't need a father, at least not a man pretending to be his father. His real father was his only father, and if he could not have him, than all he needed was her.

"Jace!" She called for him. She heard the padding of his footsteps coming down the hall in their tiny apartment. It was cold time in New Jersey, too cold for the northeast of this country. She would remember being young, and having to walk the streets for warmth, and for food. Life was actually much easier back then, because there was no child. _She_ was the child.

But now that she had Jace, she had to make sure he ate, drank, had clothes, and water to bathe in. She would do anything to keep him safe, and to keep him happy. He was her angel, her gift from God, and though her life was somewhat easier before him, it was now worth something with him in her life.

"I am going to work, baby." She bent down and fixed the collar on his shirt. Examining it, and looking at his arms. She squinted her eyes at what she thought she saw was blood. "Bear," She called one of his many nicknames she gave him. "What happened?"

"Nothing." He shook his little head, his curls bouncing back and forth; he needed another haircut already.

"Bear, don't lie. You know you can tell me." She whispered to him as softly as her voice could bear.

"But you have enough to worry about, mommy."

"But that's just it, Bear." She caressed his cheek. "I _am_ your mommy. And mommies have to worry about their babies. So please tell me what happened."

"But who worries about you?" It wasn't the first time he had asked her that question, and in so many different ways too. He was such a sweet boy. He was so selfless, and so caring. He was also protective, courageous, and quite clever for his age. However, he was also a practical joker, an instigator. _That_ was from her! She was sneaky, conniving, a practical joker, and most of all… an instigator. She really wasn't sure where Jace got all of his kindness from, but she definitely appreciated it more than anything.

"Baby, don't worry about me. I am a big girl. But you, you're _my_ baby, and mommies always take care of their babies. So please tell me, who is hurting you." He looked down at his feet, playing his toes together.

"Boys at school." He whispered.

"What boys?" His head popped up, his golden eyes glistening in the dimness of the tiny apartment.

"You'll be late for work." He said suddenly. She smiled at him, and pulled away.

"Yes, I must go, but lets get you into your pajamas really quick." She said before making him follow her to her room. She lifted him up onto the squeaky bed, and turned to her armoire where they both kept their clothes. "Fire trucks or bugs?" She asked him, while turning half way to grin at him. He smiled so wide that his teeth showed. Revealing how crooked they were. She wished she had enough money to get him braces.

"BUGS!" He shouted and bounced on the bed, making the bed squeak louder. She smiled at him and pulled out blue pajamas that had different insects crawling all over it. She got him dressed and ready for bed.

"Now I will be back at seven in the morning. And Bud will be here to watch you."

"But I don't like Bud."

"I know, Bear." She stroked his soft curls, and kissed his forehead. "But please behave, Bear. I cannot leave you here on your on."

"I can take care of myself!" He huffed up his chest, and flexed his little arms. "I am a man!" She laughed at her brave son. He was always thinking he was bigger than he was. Then again, to her that's exactly what he is. "You are seven years old, Bear."

"Exactly! You know how many teachers tell me I am getting big at school?" His voice was so excited. "I know you are, Bear. But to the law you are still little. They would arrest me if I left you by yourself."

"I have an idea, Mommy!" He suddenly said, leaping off his bed.

"What?" She smiled at him.

"Why don't I get a job, so you can take a break for a while?" She laughed at her boy's selfless behavior, but there was a ping of sadness in her heart. Her son should not be suggesting such things.

"It's not that easy, Bear." She said softly, and sadly. Before anything else could have been said Bud was standing in the doorway. He was a tubby, short, hairy man. He looked as though he never showered, and he was always chewing gum. He kept his dark greasy hair short. And essentially wore nice clothes when he wasn't working on cars.

"Done reading the little bastard his bedtime stories?" Celine picked up one of Jace's toys, a Bobba Fett action figure, and threw it with much force at Bud's head. "Ow! You crazy braud! That hurt!" Jace made a dirty face at Bud.

"I do NOT need any phone calls at work tonight, Bud! Now both of you behave!"

She stood up and marched out of the room, and went straight for the kitchen where her purse would be. She grabbed it, and brought the strap up her arm and over her shoulder. She headed to the front door with Bud on her heels.

"Do I have to stay here _all_ night?"

"Yes!" She flipped her hair over her shoulder. "You do! I need someone to watch him, I cannot leave him alone. If neighbors find out I leave him by himself. They take him from me! And I'll go to jail!"

"So what! Put him in daycare or something!"

"Do you have any idea how expensive that is?" She shouted through whisper, not wanting Jace to hear them fighting. Jace already hates Bud as it is, she didn't want it getting worse.

"It's just I could be doing better things than babysitting." Bud said, while sounding more like a whiny child than Jace ever has.

"Oh boo-hoo, you poor little man! You have to baby sit for me for eight hours every once in a while. Isn't your life just dreadful?" She mocked him, and chuckled at her old friend. "Try being like me! Trying being single parent! Taking care of my baby alone, with no one to help. And barely any money to my name! My son comes first, and that's the life of a parent. Quit your baby-cries!" She told him off, and was about to walk out the door, when Jace ran up behind her calling out her name, asking her to wait.

"Mommy! Don't forget your pepper spray." She chuckled, and took the small container from her boy's little hands.

"You're right, Bear. Never know what kind of freaks are out in the city at night. Thank you!"

"Yes, the boy is such a hero! Give him a cookie!" Bud groaned while walking to the couch, flopping down and switching on the tube.

"And what exactly have you done with your life, _Butt_!" Jace mocked him, and stuck his tongue out at the chubby man.

"Hey! I got a job, I work for a living. Fixing cars, and junk. What the hell do _you_ do you little brat? Wet your bed?" Jace let out a growl.

"Fixing _stolen_ cars!" He shouted back.

"Hey!" Bud turned and yelled. "Keep your mouth shut with that shit, Kid!" Something hard came to contact with his again, now a small sixty-nine Chavelle SS Hot Wheels toy car. "What the!" He turned to see an angered Celine.

"Don't curse in front of my child, Bud!" She pointed her long thin finger at him, while all he did was roll his eyes, and turn his attention back to the TV. Jace turned to his mother, his eyes pleading with desperation. The honey in his eyes reflecting from the television, making it almost hard to resist him.

"_Please_, don't leave me here with him!" He begged her.

"Bear, just listen. Go to your room, and don't come out! I only need him here to have an adult around the place while you're here. Just behave." She begged him in return, her French accent running through his ears like a lullaby.

"Oh-kay." He gave in. She kissed his forehead, and brought her index finger to between his eyes, and lightly trailing it down to the tip of his noes.

"Good boy. I love you!"One more kiss, and she was out the door. Leaving Jace alone with what Jace liked to call him… the bum.

"Hey, you weasel. You should make me some coffee."

"Make _yourself _coffee, _Butt_! I need to go to bed… momma's orders!" And he marched off down the hall and too his very small bedroom. He planned on pouting for a good hour, just because he was stuck with _Butt, the Bum_. But it wouldn't be long until he came up with a good plan to keep himself entertained while Bud was around. Jace devilishly grinned to himself. Thinking of all the nasty trickery he could play on Bud.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Celine enjoyed the evening shifts as a waitress, much more during the day. It wasn't as busy, and there were no managers to breath down her neck. The Diner was opened twenty four hours, and she tried her hardest to only work the late nights. Her thoughts remained on her son during every shift. Whenever a manager was being unreasonable or she got an overly rude costumer, she always remembers that it is for her son.

"Celine!" Marla was a thin bubbly young girl, with shoulder length brown hair, that curled outwards. "Can you please watch my tabled for me, I _have_ to pee!" Celine chuckled at her. "Go on, do your business."

"Thank you, thank you, Celine!" She walked awkwardly towards the bathroom, leaving Celine behind to laugh at her.

"Excuse me miss?" Celine looked up and smiled at the gentlemen. "Can I have some more ranch please?"

"Yes you may, sir." She pumped ranch inside a small plastic container, and walked it over to the nice gentlemen sitting with wife. "There you go, anything else you life?"

"No, no thank you, ma'am." She smiled and went to walk away, when his wife stopped her. "Excuse me for digging, but you obviously have an accent, can I ask where you are from?"

"I'm from France." She answered with a smile.

"Oh really!" The woman began to get excited. "I had a few friends go out there for a vacation once, they said Paris is a magical city. What brings you to America?" She smiled, looked down at her hands, and began to tell a story.

"I came here when my mother died, to live with distant cousins."

"Oh dear, I am so sorry." The nice lady frowned.

"Oh no, don't be. She was amazing woman, my mother. She wanted me to have best life. My cousins took wonderful care of me. But…Je m'ennuie de ma mere." She bent her head down, trying to control the tear flow.

"What does that mean?" The nice gentlemen asked.

"It just means, that I miss my mother."

Hours went by after she bid the nice older couple farewell. It was quite dead, only a few stragglers came in. They began clean up early, just to keep themselves busy. When another man walked in. To Celine he looked like a bum who couldn't pay a dime. He happened to sit down at one of Marla's tables. Celine watched closely as Marla casually went to him with her pen and pad, and approached the customer appropriately.

"Good evening, what may I get for you?"

"Whatever your willing." He eyed her up and down, causing chills to pour down her spine. She was frozen in her spot, not sure what to say next. "I can pay you, but not for whatever you have on that menu." She swore she could smell him from where she stood, and she stood a decent space away from this ugly man.

"How bout coffee?" She suggested, while nodded, and faking a smile.

"Coffee, sure." He responded bluntly, when she went to turn around, he made for an outreach for her behind. She jumped back, letting out a yelp.

"Just right." He said while smirking. "You know? You could make an awful lot of money, Toots." Before Marla even had a chance to respond Celine was by her side with a baseball bat in hand. The sad thing about living in this city, and working the late night shift, was the fact that you should always expect dangerous men like him, out late at night.

"If you don't get the hell up out of our diner, I am have full permission from our boss to bludgeon your skull flat to ground!" The man held his arms up in defense, watching Celine closely incase she sprinted for an attack.

"Fine!" He stood up slowly. "I was only trying to help the little girl." His northern accent rang through their ears. Their brains made sure they could remember it, incase of a dire situation. "And maybe you too, French lady." He winked at both girls, Celine brought the bat backwards, making the ugly man take off out of the restaurant, and disappearing into the night.

Celine let the bat drop, and turned to Marla, who still looked shaken up. "Are you okay, sweetie?" She asked her. Marla shook her head, trying to not let the tears pour, but Celine knew better. "Oh, honey, c'mere!" Marla opened her arms beckoning Celine in them, she didn't hesitate to return the embrace, and finally let the water flow.

"He was so frightening." Marla sobbed into her friend's shirt, while she cooed her by stroking her hair and humming in her ear.

"It's okay, he's gone."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Celine arrived at home at six in the morning, having been let go early due to hardly any business. She dropped her purse on the end table when was inside her tiny little apartment. Bud was passed out on the couch, with the television on low. She circled around to look at him, she crinkled her nose at the sight. He wasn't laying down, but actually sitting up with his back flat against the back of the couch. His head was bent all the way back, and his mouth was wide open, while droll was pooling on to his chest. She rolled her eyes and marched over to him, kicking his legs a few times to get him to wake up.

"Wake up you lazy bum!" Bud let out a loud pig snort, and stared up at Celine with a disoriented look. "What!" She demanded. "I'm home, you go! No need for you to be here no more, now get out." She demanded of him and picked up his shoes that was spread along the floor, and his jacket over that hung over the couch and flung it at him.

"Wai…" He tried to speak, but he seemed to be having trouble. "my… my… my mou num."

"What1?" She questioned him like he was some kind of crazy person. His tongue dangled out of his mouth, like he didn't even know it was doing it. He brought his hands up to his face to feel, opened and closed his mouth a few times, before standing up and yelling about.

"My ho mou is num!" He tried to speak again."

"Maybe it's because you slep with your mouth hanging open for the birds to nest in!" When she stopped ranting about it, she looked over to where he was once sitting, and saw a small bottle with clear liquid inside, sitting by Bud's soda fountain drink. The bottle was labeled, but she hadn't picked it up to read it yet. She looked back at Bud who was still panicking with his tongue still hanging out of his mouth. Celine laughed loudly at the sight.

"Wha? Is no fuwy!"

"Wha-whoa- wha-wha?" She mocked him.

"Shu uh!"

"Just calm down, you crazy person. Get out of my apartment, I have to see Jace." She shoved all his stuff in his hands, and started pushing him out the front door, despite his protests. Once Bud was gone, she walked over to the table and lifted up that bottle. Articaine.

"My Bear." She whispered to herself. "Just like your mommy." She made her way silently down the hall to Jace's room, with the bottle tight in her hand. She gently opened the door to her sleeping prince in his small bed. She carefully crawled in beside him, making him sift a bit. She kissed his temple, and whispered in his ear.

"Bear…"

"Hmm?" He rolled over to face her, only to see her waving a tiny bottle in his vision.

"What is that?" He asked her.

"What is it?" She questioned back. "Why, I think you know, my little Bear,"

"No I don't." He shook his head innocently.

"Oh?" She shrugged. "Okay…" She heard her son let out a breath, and smiled to herself. "You know what Bud was doing this morning?"

"I didn't do anything to Bud." He quickly defended himself.

"AHHHH! I caught you, Little Bear!" Celine grabbed him and stared to tickle his sides, making him laugh so hard he could not breathe.

"What did he look like?" Jace asked, sitting up in bed and looking down at his mother.

"First things first." She stopped him. "Where did you get this?" Jace's expression dropped, and looked down into his hands.

"I found it."

"Oh you did?" She questioned. "I don't think so, Bear. This is Anesthetic, only used in doctor's offices. So do you want to tell me again, where you got this?"

"Only if you don't get mad." He looked at her with sad longing eyes.

"I wont get mad if you tell me the truth." Jace let out a sigh, and finally spilt the beans.

"I bought it from a friend at school."

"Jace Stephan Herondale!" She whispered his name in a overly dramatic tone. "You buying drugs from friends?"

"No!" He sat up on his knees, panicking. "I just buy stuff like this, so I can torture Bud."

"You promise?" She asked him sincerely. He nodded his head, and she brought up her hand. "Pinky promise?"

"I promise!" He shook pinkies with her, then she let out a cloud of laughter.

"Now to tell you bout Bud. He mumbling, and could not speak." She started imitating her lazy friend, making Jace laugh while watching her. She let her tongue hang out just like his, telling Jace how he was drooling, and making a clown of himself.

"Wasn't it a neat trick, Ma?"

"No." She said simple, while standing up from his bed.

"Why not?" Jace whined.

"Because this stuff," She held the bottle in her hand. "Is dangerous. You could have killed him. I don't want you playing with it, so… your grounded."

"Awwwww"

"No complaints. No TV. Just read, that's the rules for a week. Understood?"

Jace let out a sad, frustrated sigh, while rolled his eyes, and no longer looking at his mother. "O-kay."

"Good, now I will make us pancakes for breakfast." Jace's spirit was relit into flame as he leapt from his bed. They both raced down the hall and into the kitchen. Of course Jace won. She made him his favorite chocolate chip pancakes, as they sat and chatted at the table. Jace couldn't help but wonder if his mother was _ever_ tired since she was up all night. But she kept a smile on her face, and a light in her eyes, so he knew she was happy.

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><p><strong>*Again* <em>Please<em> be patient with the fact that Clary wont be showing up for a while.**

**So? The usual?**

**Good?**

**Bad?**

**Awful?**

**Let me know ;)**


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